What is oregano oil?

Botanically known as Origanum vulgare, oregano is a flowering plant in the same genus as mint. It is often used as an herb to flavor food.

Although it is native to Europe, it is now found all over the world.

Oregano has been popular since ancient Greek and Roman civilizations used it for medicinal purposes. The name oregano comes from the Greek words "oros", meaning mountain, and "ganos", meaning joy or delight.

For centuries, this herb has also been used as a culinary spice.

Oregano essential oil is made by air-drying the leaves and branches of the plant. After drying, the oil is extracted and concentrated by steam distillation.

Oregano essential oil can be mixed with a carrier oil and used topically. However, it should not be taken orally.

On the other hand, oregano oil extract can be produced by a variety of extraction methods using compounds such as carbon dioxide or alcohol. It is widely used as a supplement, usually in pill or capsule form.

Oregano contains compounds called phenols, terpenes and terpenoids. They have powerful antioxidant properties and are responsible for the flavor of oregano:

Carvacrol. The most abundant phenol in oregano. It has been shown to stop the growth of several different types of bacteria.
Thymol. This natural antifungal also supports the immune system and protects against toxins.
Rosmarinic acid. This powerful antioxidant helps prevent damage caused by free radicals.
These compounds are believed to be the basis for many of oregano's health benefits.

Here are 9 potential benefits and uses for oregano oil. 

1. Oregano Oil is a Natural Antibiotic

Oregano may help fight bacteria with the carvacrol it contains.

Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most common causes of infection, leading to illnesses such as food poisoning and skin infections.

One particular study looked at whether oregano essential oil could improve the survival rate of 14 mice infected with S. aureus.

The study found that 43% of the mice that received oregano oil lived longer than 30 days, a survival rate almost as high as the 50% survival rate of mice that received conventional antibiotics.

The study also suggests that oregano oil may be effective against a number of potentially antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

These include Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli, both of which are common causes of urinary tract and respiratory tract infections.

While more human studies on the effects of oregano oil extract are needed, it contains many of the same compounds as oregano essential oil and may offer similar health benefits when used as a supplement.

Summary: A mouse study found that oregano essential oil was almost as effective as antibiotics against common bacteria, but more research is needed. 

2. Oregano Oil May Help Lower Cholesterol

Research suggests that oregano oil may help lower cholesterol.

In one study, 48 people with mildly high cholesterol received diet and lifestyle advice to help lower their cholesterol. Thirty-two participants also took 0.85 ounces (25 milliliters) of oregano oil extract after each meal.

After 3 months, those who received oregano oil had higher LDL (bad) cholesterol and HDL (good) cholesterol compared to those who had just received diet and lifestyle advice.

Carvacrol, the main compound in oregano oil, has also been shown to help lower cholesterol in mice fed a high-fat diet for more than 10 weeks.

Mice given carvacrol and a high-fat diet at the end of 10 weeks had significantly lower cholesterol compared to mice given only a high-fat diet.

The cholesterol-lowering effect of oregano oil is thought to be the result of both carvacrol and thymol.

Summary: Research suggests that oregano may help lower cholesterol in people with high cholesterol and in mice. This is thought to be the result of the compounds carvacrol and thymol.

3. Oregano Oil is a Powerful Antioxidant

Antioxidants help protect the body from free radical damage.

Free radical damage is thought to play a role in aging and the development of certain diseases such as cancer and heart disease.

Free radicals are ubiquitous and are natural products of metabolism.

However, they can accumulate in the body through exposure to environmental factors such as cigarette smoke and air pollutants.

An earlier in vitro study comparing the antioxidant content of 39 commonly used herbs found that oregano had the highest concentration of antioxidants.

The study found that the antioxidant levels in oregano were 3-30 times higher than in the other herbs studied, including thyme, marjoram and St. John's wort.

The antioxidant levels per gram of oregano were 42 times higher than those of apples and 4 times higher than those of blueberries. This is thought to be primarily due to its rosemarinic acid content.

Because oregano oil extract is so concentrated, you need much less oregano oil to get the same antioxidant benefits as fresh oregano.

Summary: Fresh oregano has a very high antioxidant content. It is much higher than most fruits and vegetables, gram for gram. The antioxidant content is concentrated in oregano oil.

4. Oregano Oil Helps Treat Yeast Infections

Yeast is a fungus. It may be harmless, but overgrowth can lead to intestinal problems and infections such as thrush.

The best known yeast is Candida, which is the most common cause of yeast infections worldwide.

In test tube studies, oregano essential oil has been found to be effective against five different types of Candida, such as the one that causes oral and vaginal infections. It is more effective than any other essential oil tested.

In vitro studies have also found that one of the main compounds in oregano oil, carvacrol, is very effective against oral candida.

High levels of yeast candida have also been linked to a number of intestinal disorders, such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

A test-tube study of the effectiveness of oregano essential oil against 16 different strains of Candida concluded that oregano oil may be a good alternative treatment for Candida yeast infections. However, more research is needed.

Summary: Test tube studies have shown that oregano oil is effective against Candida, the most common yeast. 

5. Oregano Oil May Improve Gut Health

Oregano may benefit gut health in a number of ways.

Intestinal symptoms such as diarrhea, pain and bloating are common and can be caused by intestinal parasites.

An earlier study administered 600 milligrams of oregano oil to 14 people who were experiencing intestinal symptoms due to parasites. After 6 weeks of daily treatment, the parasites were reduced in all participants and 77% were cured.

Participants also experienced a reduction in bowel symptoms and symptom-related fatigue.

Oregano may also help prevent another common intestinal discomfort called "leaky gut". This occurs when the intestinal wall is damaged, allowing bacteria and toxins to enter the bloodstream.

In a study on pigs, oregano essential oil protected the intestinal wall from damage and prevented it from "leaking". It also reduced the number of E. coli bacteria in the intestines.

Summary: Oregano oil may benefit gut health by killing intestinal parasites and preventing leaky gut syndrome.

6. Oregano Oil May Have Anti-Inflammatory Properties

Inflammation in the body is associated with a variety of adverse health effects.

Research suggests that oregano oil may reduce inflammation.

A mouse study found that oregano and thyme essential oils reduced markers of inflammation that artificially induce colitis.

Carvacrol, one of the key components of oregano oil, has also been shown to reduce inflammation.

One study applied different concentrations of carvacrol directly to the swollen paws or ears of mice. Carvacrol reduced paw and ear swelling by 35-61% and 33-43%, respectively.

Summary: Oregano oil and its components may help reduce inflammation in mice, but human studies are needed.

7. Oregano Oil Helps Relieve Pain

The pain-relieving properties of oregano oil have been studied.

An earlier study in mice tested the ability of standard pain medications and essential oils, including oregano oil, to relieve pain.

The study found that oregano oil significantly reduced pain in mice, similar to the effects of the commonly used painkillers fenugreek and morphine.

The study suggested that these results may be due to the carvacrol content of oregano.

A similar study found that oregano extract reduced pain in rats, and that the response was dose-dependent, meaning that the more oregano extract the rats consumed, the less pain they seemed to feel.

Summary: Oregano oil significantly reduced pain in both mice and rats, exerting analgesic effects similar to those of some commonly used medications.

8. Oregano oil may have anti-cancer properties.

Several studies have suggested that carvacrol, a compound in oregano oil, may have anticancer properties.

In test tube studies on cancer cells, carvacrol has shown promising results against lung, liver and breast cancer cells.

It has been found to inhibit cell growth and cause cancer cell death.

Although this is a promising study, it has not yet been studied in humans, so more research is needed.

Summary: Preliminary studies have shown that carvacrol - the most abundant compound in oregano oil - inhibits the growth of cancer cells and leads to cell death in lung, liver and breast cancers.

9. Oregano oil can help you lose weight

Due to the carvacrol content of oregano, oregano oil may have the potential to help with weight loss.

In one study, mice were fed a normal diet, a high-fat diet, or a high-fat diet containing carvacrol. Those who took carvacrol along with the high-fat diet lost significantly more weight and body fat than those who ate only the high-fat diet.

In addition, carvacrol appears to reverse the sequence of events that lead to the formation of fat cells.

More research is needed to prove that oregano oil works for weight loss, but it may be worth a try as part of a healthy diet and lifestyle.

Summary: Although human studies are needed, oregano oil may be beneficial for weight loss through the effects of carvacrol.

Product Recommendation

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